Bill Henson Again (Again)

1) Henson controversy now a matter of record, courtesy of Cate.

Nude Photos Ignite Australian Debate
The New York Times
May 28, 2008

Cate Blanchett joined forces on Tuesday with prominent people in the arts to protest plans by the police to initiate an obscenity prosecution over images by Bill Henson, an eminent photographer, that feature nude 12- and 13-year-olds, Agence France-Presse reported…

2) Garrett maintains idiotic grin; Turnbull and Brown defend Henson.

Turnbull, Brown join forces in Henson’s defence
ABC
May 28, 2008

High-profile Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull has spoken out in defence of artistic freedom after revealing that he owns works by controversial photographer Bill Henson… Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has described the photographs as “absolutely revolting” but Greens Senator Bob Brown says Mr Rudd does not understand art… Arts Minister Peter Garrett says artists have a right to confront audiences but must operate within the law.

3) Manoj Dias-Abey sits in judgement.

Sydney Star Observer
May 29, 2008

…The Henson affair has thrown the limelight on some important issues, such as the role of art in society and the nature of effective child protection. These questions need political resolutions, not the intervention of the judiciary. Public officials who made the call to press charges against Bill Henson deserve to be roundly criticised for their actions.

4) Girl says no.

Girl identified in Henson photograph snubs police
The Daily Telegraph
May 29, 2008

A GIRL who was 13 when she posed nude for Bill Henson photographs has been identified but has declined to speak to police investigators…

Peter Garrett, Minister for The Yartz, ‘The Politics of Art’, Keynote address APRA/AMCOS Song Summit, April 3, 2008:

…finally I stand in front of you as your representative in the national government, as a Cabinet Minister responsible for arts and culture in this country- a tremendous opportunity which I take very seriously…

The argument in favour of the arts is evolving, as it must. No longer can we, or should we, merely argue arts for arts’ sake. I have no hesitation in standing here, as a former practicing artist, and say the arts are inherently valuable; they are a public good.

As innovation becomes increasingly central to growing new and sustainable economies, there is amplified recognition of the role that creativity and the arts plays as a key driver of innovation. At the last election we took a detailed set of arts policies to the people underpinned by the principles of access, equity, education, excellence and innovation…

I began this keynote speech by saying I stood before you as someone who has been in the place where some of you now are but who was able and lucky enough, to ride a sweaty twenty five plus year wave with five others and together, make music which meant something to us, which we ended up sharing with lots of people.

Along the way we brought our political values into the frame, sometimes through songs, sometimes through actions. As musicians it was the music that came first and it was our “reason for being” in a band. But we were also citizens of this country, and toured across the world and in time we wanted to react to and be involved with issues confronting us. Some people call it politics; I’d also call it life.

Sorry Bill: that’s life. And life wasn’t meant to be easy.